2 Children Grow Up
by E. J. Morgan
Summary: Q-niverse AU - How Q (who actually wasn't Q back then yet, just simply 'Benedict') had to fight for independency with his MI6 family.


**Children Grow Up**

„I would like to buy an own flat." – Announced 14-year-old Benedict, MI6's resident genius, Q's youngest ever apprentice one day out of the blue from his place where he was sitting on the floor, surrounded by numerous parts of technology nobody beside him would have found any use for. The boy had a way of giving anything he got his hands on a purpose.

Old Major Boothroyd, the Quartermaster looked up from his desk where he was working on building the hundredth exploding pen for 007 and stared at his young prodigy uncomprehendingly.

"What!?"

"An own flat. You know I was finally officially emancipated last week; I am able to access all my money now. It's logical I should have my own place and not continue to be an inconvenience to you guys."

"Ben, you have never been an inconvenience to any of us. What would make you feel like that? Myself, Tanner and M are happy to have you around and live with us. You don't need to be on your own."

"Well, thanks, but really: I would like to."

"I don't think you should live alone. You're too young. You might be a genius and you may be emancipated but you're still only fourteen."

"As a matter of fact" – Continued Benedict as if old Q hadn't said a word. – "I have already found a flat that I would like to have a look at. It's in Clapham, near a metro station and with a bus stop a couple of hundred yards away. Safe neighborhood and beautiful streets. HQ is less then half-an-hour away: close enough but still not right next to it – which I wouldn't want anyway. There is a lot to do and places to relax. And it's totally affordable."

"Benedict, really, I don't think-"

"I would even be allowed to have a cat there, the condominium doesn't forbid pets."

"You want a _cat_?"

"I love cats. Not right away, obviously. I spend most of my time here anyway, I couldn't take care of any living thing, not even a plant, let alone an animal… But maybe one day."

"Then you'll have plenty of time to be thinking about buying an own property in the future, won't you?"

"I have exactly four hours because I've made an appointment with the realtor to meet her by the flat at seven." – Declared Q and then expressed his desire to close the topic by continuing his tinkering with a watch for a Double-Oh agent he hadn't met before because it was thankfully not his job to deal with those 'lunatics' as Q called them.

Boothroyd just blinked and tried to think of any argument to stop the child from doing something that stupid. But how did you stop an emancipated genius?

Benedict knocked on M's door, and upon receiving a 'come in', opened it. M was currently sitting at her desk with a folder open before her, a thoughtful and troubled expression on her face.

"Is it a bad time? If it is, I could come back later." – Said the boy and wanted to turn right back.

"Oh, no, no, no, son. You're always welcome. Besides, I have needed a good excuse to put that aside for a while anyway. Well, come on then, sit down."

The young teenager sighed and sat but didn't say anything.

M waited patiently for a few minutes but then asked: "So, did you want to talk to me about something?"

The boy fidgeted a little.

"Ahm… yes. I've already told Q but he wasn't very thrilled… Well, I am going to look at a flat today."

"I don't understand. What kind of flat?"

"A flat I would like to buy."

"Excuse me?"

The boy braced himself and began with the same explanation he gave Q just half an hour before. At the end, he sat back and waited for his boss'-mother figure's reaction, expecting an angry outburst.

M contemplated him for a few minutes then finally said: "I think this is a wonderful idea."

"Ma'am, you know, I just want- WHAT?"

"I said I think it's super." – Laughed M at his confused expression.

"You really do? I mean you don't think I'm too young to be living alone, and that I should wait preferably around 10 years or better yet: never live on my own ever?"

"No, I don't think any of these. You are officially and adult now, and you have earned with hard work more than enough money. And it's not like you want to move to the end of the world."

"Wow."

"Would you like someone to go with you to the flat? I think Tanner would most definitely like to be there."

"Well, I haven't talked to him yet about it…"

"Then we'll call him and you can tell him. Don't worry, I won't let him get a heart attack." – M winked and called his secretary to send in Bill Tanner the Chief of Staff.

Sadly, Tanner's reaction was similar to Q's.

"I just don't understand why you would want to move away from us. Do you not have it comfortable at my flat? Or Q's? Or M's? You have a home by all three of us; you don't need a fourth one!"

"It's not that! I am of course very grateful for what you all have done for me, and I am not planning on disappearing. I just want to have a flat. An own place. I am legally an adult now." – Tried to explain Benedict but Tanner didn't seem to want to understand. He was a wreck.

"Do you have any idea how dangerous it is for a boy your age to live totally alone and travel on the metro or bus on his own – sometimes even during the night? You could be robbed, you could be kidnapped, you could be-"

"Bill, really, you don't think I'm capable of installing a satisfying security system to the flat? I would like to remind you that I am the one responsible for regularly updating MI6's firewalls."

"I know that very well but it's totally different. And no computer program would help you if you were attacked and mugged on the dark street."

"I'm not moving to Brooklyn! And as a matter of fact, I was thinking of developing a kind of panic button that can be fastened on the clothing and-"

"Benedict, this is not funny!"

Up until now M was just sitting and watching them as if she were a spectator to the most interesting West End show. Now, however, she just about had had enough of their bickering.

"Gentlemen, please. Bill, listen to me: Benedict is indeed a legal adult. He has a right to decide where he wants to live. He knows he'll still be welcome at our house anytime. Don't you, Benedict?"

"Of course."

"And Benedict, please, you have to understand, it's very sudden to all of us, we hadn't even known you wanted to get emancipated, you did it all alone. It was quite a shock to learn. So, just give us time to get used to the idea of you becoming a grown up and try to humor us."

"All right. Bill, if you would prefer to come with me—"

"You can bet I would prefer it!" – Growled Tanner with so much intrepidity that Benedict already felt sorry for the real estate agent.

They met up with the realtor five minutes after the agreed time because Tanner had insisted they live the car a mile from the house and continue the route walking, just to see what kind of dangers lurk around each corner and what monsters live in the neighborhood disguised as normal people. ("I don't trust these innocent-looking areas; it could be the best hiding place for all the criminals to live here, concealed!")

They didn't see anything suspicious on their way but that didn't placate Tanner at all. ("Can you see that playground? That dollhouse is big enough to hold a whole arsenal of weapons!" – "I think, you're right, Bill; I could swear I saw a little boy get in there with a water pistol in his hand just a few seconds ago. I've always known nursery had a bad influence on children.")

Benedict didn't stop apologizing to the woman for being late until they entered the main area of the condominium. There, he couldn't get another word out. The building inside (and outside, too) was beautiful and warm and friendly… Right in front of them was the elevator, beside it were the stairs. The realtor didn't ask what they wanted; she stepped to the lift and pressed the call button.

The flat was on the third floor between two others. The woman ("Call me Mrs. Morris, dear!") unlocked the door and let Benedict pass first.

The boy couldn't believe his own eyes. The flat was everything he had been hoping for and even more! Upon entering they came immediately into a huge hall in which he could already imagine a big screen television (not that he had time to watch anything, but still…) a coffee table in front of it and a comfortable couch. There would be enough space even for an enormous bookshelf.

The flat had two bedrooms: one of them was significantly bigger than the other and it had a balcony! The bathroom had a big tub, two sinks and a toilet; all very modern, shiny and new.

There was also a kitchenette. Not big but it didn't really matter: Benedict only ever made tea anyway. And if there were ever need, it would also be perfectly fine for cooking.

"That's incredible!" – He said finally when he could find his voice again.

Tanner had a different opinion though. "You mean incredibly inconvenient? Because yes, then it is!"

"What? Why, what's the matter with it?"

"Well, should I really list? First: it's on the third floor. What if the elevator doesn't work?"

"Ahm… I guess then I'm going to use the stairs…? But I could always climb down the balcony, too."

Tanner looked mortified: "It's not funny! And what if there's a fire? Do you even know that you're not allowed to use the elevator in case of fire? What will you do then when there are hundreds of people panicking and you can't get out?"

"Of course I know what to do in case of fire. It's written all over Hea- I mean the office. And there won't be hundreds of people panicking: this house only has 9 flats! I highly doubt hundreds could live here."

"Actually, there is another flat empty now on the ground floor, so presently only 15 people live here. 16, if that young man decides to buy the flat." – Piped in Mrs. Morris and smiled at Benedict encouragingly.

"Oh, so much better! So we don't know who is going to move into that empty flat down there! It could be a serial killer with your luck. As a matter of fact: do we have any idea what kind of people live here?"

The woman looked totally lost.

"Ahm, Mrs. Morris, could you excuse us for a moment please?" – The teenager grabbed Tanner by one arm and pulled him into the bathroom, closing the door behind them.

"I of course double-checked everyone, I know exactly who live here. I know their names, ages, family members, hell: even their monthly incomes and mortgages! I'm not an imbecile! But really: Bill, what is this all about? You know very well the flat is perfect." – Whispered the boy.

"It is not perfect! It's a catastrophe." – Answered Tanner, not bothering to lower his voice at all.

"Why?"

"Because…"

"Because why?"

"Because it's too early, that's why!"

A long, uncomfortable silence followed during which Benedict sat blinking confusedly on the edge of the tub while Tanner tried to gather his thoughts and properly explain his behavior.

"Ben… I'm sorry, all right? I just really-really think that fourteen is too early to get an own flat and move in alone."

The boy's eyes softened as understanding dawned on him.

"Oh." – Was all he said.

"'Oh' what?"

"I understand now."

"What do you understand? That it's too early? Will you give up on the plan then?" – Tanner sounded very hopeful.

"No. I understand why you're behaving like you're the child here, not me. That's because you're worried I won't be able to fend for myself."

"Noooooo…"

"Yes. It's okay, you're not the only one. Q made his opinion clear on the matter, too. He wants me to stay with you guys for at least another four or five years."

"Wouldn't it be normal though? You could move away at 18 – it would still be very early, mind you, most people still live with their parents when they turn 18, or in a dormitory."

"I'm an adult now."

"That emancipation was too early, too. A paper doesn't change your age."

"No, but lifestyle does. I haven't been a child since I lost my parents when I was two. I am ready to move into a flat on my own. And besides: you're always welcome here."

"Really? You mean I could come visit you?"

"Anytime. You'll get a key and the code to the alarm system. You'll be able to come and go as you wish. You won't even have to tell me first – you belong here. There will be the second bedroom for you to use."

Tanner looked like he might cry right then and there.

"And would you come to me sometimes?"

"I'll be there so often you'll wish to get rid of me!"

"Never, my boy, never." – And with that, Tanner hugged the boy very tightly. He was definitely shedding a few teardrops by now.

"And what about Christmas?"

"I've always spent the Christmases with you since I am with MI6. It won't change! I can't wait to eat your turkey and for decorating the tree together."

Tanner hugged him even tighter at that and sniffled loudly.

"You know, son, I think the flat may not be that bad after all."

The teenager just laughed and opened the door. Outside, the real estate agent was standing quite impatient, probably thinking she had lost her potential client and wanting to leave as soon as possible to find someone else.

"I'm going to buy it." – Announced Benedict proudly as soon as he stepped out of the bathroom.

Mrs. Morris didn't try to hide her surprise. "You are?"

"Yes, I believe he just said he is. Please, arrange for the paperwork to be ready by the weekend so that we can start painting and then move his things in here." – To the boy he whispered. "And we'll have to ensure your security of course first."

"You are going to help me move in?" – Asked the boy very touched.

"Well, of course I am! We need to be ready soon, so that we can organize your housewarming party as soon as possible!"

Benedict couldn't have been happier… Well, maybe there was something… He thought that soon it would probably be time to get in contact with his brothers again after two years of silence from him. Both of them still believed him dead but being an adult now, presumably he should start behaving like one and try to make peace with them?

He wasn't quite ready for that yet but it was definitely something to think about.


End file.
